COVID Community Update from Steve Hyde, CEO for Paris Regional Medical Center
We have received many questions regarding COVID within the hospital in recent weeks as numbers are spiking throughout the state. In the last two weeks we have seen our COVID census go from two to 16 in-house. Of note, all but one of these patients were unvaccinated and the patient population is getting younger with most currently positive patients in their 20s – 50s. I don’t tell you this to cause alarm or incite fear, but I cannot stress enough the importance of protection as the Delta variant begins to take a stronghold throughout the state and nation, and it is evident that our best safeguard is vaccination.
What we are seeing throughout the state are hospitals at full-capacity, which summons memories of our last surge in February-March. Hospitals were already almost full before the Delta variant made its way – likely due to delayed care throughout the past year. When you couple that with an influx of COVID patients, you see similar overwhelm that we previously experienced, except now we are without the multitude of resources the State had been providing. For example, we no longer have extra nurses who have been sent to us for assistance, so while 16 COVID patients might not sound as daunting as the 60 we had at one point back in winter, we are in a much different place right now than we were then. We continue to provide safe, quality care to all of our patients; however, we urge you to help us — and hospitals throughout the state — keep this at a manageable level so that we do not once again have patients who need a higher level of care and cannot find a place to go.
COVID is something that we now have to deal with; it is rooted in our lives, just like flu and a multitude of other illnesses, but that doesn’t mean we can give up on trying to get spread to a controlled level. This is why we continue to enforce masking throughout the hospital for all team members and visitors, as well as enhanced disinfection protocols and hand hygiene. The last thing we want is to revert to where we were a year ago. We want your loved ones here with you; we want normalcy. But we also have to protect our building that is full of very sick, vulnerable people who are depending on us for their safety. They are depending on you, too.
If you have not yet received a vaccine and are interested in doing so, you can get it here locally at the Paris-Lamar County COVID Center free of charge, and you can even choose between Pfizer, Modern or J&J. Information on how to inquire or make an appointment is below.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our hospital throughout the pandemic and continues to do so. We are proud to be here to serve you and your loved ones in times of need.
VACCINE CENTER INFORMATION
Paris-Lamar County COVID Center 1128 Clarksville St. Suite 150 Paris, TX
Call: 903.715.0422
Text: 903.568.0646 Email: covidcoordinator@paristexas.gov
Go online: paristexas.gov/covidvaccinelist